The Geneva Spur: 9:45 a.m., May 12, 1996 - 25,900 Feet Summary and Analysis

Krakauer leaves the South Col on the morning of May 12 with the rest of his teammates. They had started with eleven. Now there are six. Krakauer notices that Hutchison is not wearing his goggles to protect his eyes from the intense sunlight. He calls to him to remind him, and Hutchison thanks him. He asks Krakauer to check his climbing harness, saying that he is feeling light headed and unsure of himself. Krakauer discovers that Hutchison's harness is indeed improperly fashioned. Had he tried to put any weight on it, it would have come off.

A bottleneck forms at the top of the Yellow Band, a limestone cliff. Some of Fischer's Sherpas arrive behind Krakauer, including the despondent Lopsang, who blames himself for bringing bad luck to...